Gujarat High Court Registers Suo Moto PIL Regarding Alleged Use Of Minors To Traffic/Supply Drugs In Ahmedabad

The Gujarat High Court today initiated a suo moto Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding the alleged use of minor girls to traffic/push drugs in the city of Ahmedabad.

A notice has been issued to the State Government through the Secretary Home Department, the Director General of Police, the Women and Child Development Department, the State of Gujarat and the Inspector General of Police.

The bench of Justice Nikhil Kariel passed this order taking note of a news report published by Ahmedabad Mirror suggesting that the minor girls are being used by a drug trafficker in Ahmedabad city to supply drugs.

The Court has directed the authorities concerned to file an affidavit-in-reply in the matter by March 21 on the following issues:

1. Whether there is any truth in the newspaper report, more particularly, as regards young children being used as delivery agents to deliver drugs across the city.

2. If the newspaper report is correct, or partly correct, what action has been taken by the state to rescue the minor children from doing this dangerous business?

3. Whether the state has any police for rehabilitating such minors or how the state intends to rehabilitate the minors who have been allegedly involved in the dangerous business.

During the course of the hearing, the Court specifically clarified that it was not concerned, in the suo moto PIL, regarding the menace of drugs, but, its main concern was minor children being used as drugs suppliers.

"We are not on the issue of Drugs (menace), that is a law and order issue, which has to be taken care of by the concerned authorities. We are only concerned about the use of minor children in this business, which has to be stopped. For the major issue (drug menace) we have enough legislation, let the authorities do their work. This is something which may escape the radar, so I want this to be looked into by concerned authorities and some steps should be taken."

It may be noted that the newspaper report referred to by the Gujarat High Court is an investigation carried out by Ahmedabad Mirror which revealed that minor girls and boys were used by Afsana Ansari, alias Majjo and other drug traffickers to deliver drugs to customers in the city. The investigation further revealed that Majjo pays boys and girls Rs 300 per delivery.